Barclays Premiership - Match 35

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Season 2008-2009

LIVERPOOL

 v

NEWCASTLE UNITED
  Date: Sunday 3rd May 2009
  Venue: Anfield
  Kick Off: 10:30pm (AEST), 10pm (SA), 8:30pm (WA)
  Referee: Phil Dowd (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire)
  Australian Live TV: Foxsports 1
  Internet Live TV Coverage: Check www.justin.tv to kick off
  Weather Forecast: 10c
 

 
  Betting:
  Brought to you in association with
 
Liverpool win Draw Newcastle win
$1.22 $5.60 $11
   
  Squads:
  Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Hyypia, Aurelio, Dessena, Insua, Benayoun, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Babel, Lucas, Kuyt, Torres, Riera, Ngog, Cavalieri.

Newcastle (from): Harper, Forster, Krul, Beye, Bassong, Coloccini, Edgar, Cacapa, Butt, Duff, R Taylor, Gutierrez, Nolan, Guthrie, Barton, Lovenkrands, Geremi, Smith, Martins, Owen, Viduka, Carroll, Xisco, Ranger.
   
  Pre-game comments:
  Newcastle manager Alan Shearer said:
"There will be twists and turns before the end of the season but we are relying on other teams. If they slip up then we must take our chance.

"We are going to Liverpool and we will give it a right good go. We are going there as underdogs but underdogs have come away with results before.

"I expect we will get at least one chance and if we do we must take it.

"But with the players Liverpool have got it will be difficult to keep them out."
 Listen to Alan Shearer speaking about Michael Owen

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez:
"They are under pressure and we need to win every single game.

"The teams that have something to play for are more dangerous.

"If you are trying to win the title you have to win almost every game and when you play teams like Hull and Newcastle you know it will be difficult because they will fight until the last minute."
 Listen to Rafa Benitez
  Match Stats:
 
 @ Anfield
 All Time: Liverpool 48 wins Newcastle 11 wins Draws 14
 Premier League Only: Liverpool 12 wins Newcastle 1 wins Draws 2
   
  Form - Last 5 games
 
 Newcastle United
PREM D 0-0 Portsmouth
PREM L 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
PREM D 1-1 Stoke City
PREM L 0-2 Chelsea
PREM L 1-3 Arsenal
 
 Liverppol
PREM W 3-1 Hull City
PREM D 4-4 Arsenal
UCL D 4-4 Chelsea
PREM W 4-0 Blackburn
UCL L 1-3 Chelsea
   
  Last Season's Fixture:
  Liverpool 3-0 Newcastle United
8 March 2008 - Ref: Peter Walton
Liverpool scorers: Pennant 43, Torres 45, Gerrard 51
   
 

Match Preview:
  Newcastle United travel to Merseyside to take on Liverpool in a crucial Premier League encounter for both teams.

Newcastle are desperate for a positive result to aid their relegation battle, while after Manchester United's victory at Middlesbrough yesterday Liverpool must take all 3 points to stay in the title hunt.

Yesterdays defeats for Boro, Blackburn, West Brom, Portsmouth and Stoke were good results for Newcastle and the Geordies will be hoping for more of the same to fall on sunderland and Hull this long weekend in the UK.

Newcastle are set to be without defenders Jose Enrique & Steven Taylor, but there is better news on Jonas Gutierrez who is fit to play after an ankle knock.

Manager Alan Shearer will have to decide whether he will recall Joey Barton to the side after the Liverpudlian was an unused substitute against Portsmouth last week.  Shearer has also hinted that Captain Michael Owen may not be guaranteed a  start against his former club.

Forget man Nacho Gonzalez, again failed to make an appearance for the reserves in midweek, and isn't part of the squad.

The big news for Liverpool is the return of Steven Gerrard after the England international has missed the last four games with a groin injury.  Liverpool will hoping his important influence will get their title challenge back on track.

Swiss full-back Philipp Degen continued his comeback from injury with an outing in the reserves in midweek.

With only 1 win and 2 draws at Anfield since the start of the Premiership, Newcastle have an ominous record away to Liverpool.  The last 3 visits Newcastle have failed score a goal and never once looked like competing.

Defeat for Newcastle would seem the only logical result  (hopefully not at the expense of their goal difference) so Newcastle can go into this game with no expectation and almost no pressure, meaning that they can give this a go and you never know they might sneak a vital point.
 
HOWAY THE LADS!!!

 By Row 'S' Army
 
  Did you know?
- In 1906, the banked stand at one end of Anfield was formally renamed the Spion Kop after a hill in Natal, South Africa. The hill was the site of the Battle of Spion Kop in the Second Boer War, where over 300 men of the Lancashire Regiment died, many of whom were from Liverpool.